C16 Chapter 15

Jenny’s POV

We ride in complete silence on our way back to my new prison/hell, his family house.

After the marriage ritual was over, we simply headed out of the church, Alex ordered me without even glancing my way “Get in the car”

And I followed his order like the good obedient girl I promised I would be until I get mom out of town. After that, I don’t fucking care what happens to me.

He and my uncle exchanged a few words I couldn’t hear as Alex moved my two huge suitcases into the back of his SUV, then we drove off alone.

My insides were churning with anxiety. I clutched my hands on my small black purse very tightly to keep them from shaking and give away how extremely scared I really was.

I kept my head turned towards the window and refused to spare him the slightest glance.

Just a few minutes before we reach his home; which was a little far from the heart of the town, my stomach made an embarrassing rumbling sound that I hoped wasn’t audible to him.

I was extremely hungry as I skipped my breakfast before leaving my house.

It was a stupid decision, because I had given myself insulin about an hour ago and I needed to eat to keep my diabetes stable. But I had no appetite at all.

As we pull into the gate; which was opened by one of the three guards standing inside it, I couldn’t miss the fact that the guards were holstering guns on their waists.

Alex parked the car across from the front yard, turned it off, and got out. I followed and got out of my seat as well.

I took a quick look at their huge house. It was the first time I see it despite living in Snow my whole life.

It was mesmerizing. It was built with what was probably the original mountain formation rocks that were here before they occupied the area. The design was breathtaking.

I averted my gaze and chastised myself. It doesn’t matter if it’s breathtaking or not, it’s still my own personal hell.

As I averted my gaze, my eyes landed on the closing gate to my right.

The three guards stood up straight and were prepared to take on anything.

I wondered to myself sarcastically whether they were here to keep people out or keep me in.

I felt Alex’s close proximity before I even turned my head forward, as goosebumps started to move through my entire body.

I turned and saw him staring down at me with cold calculating eyes. He was standing right in my personal space. I hastily took a little step back and stared back at him with no expression on my face.

I had to really lift my head high to be able to look into his grey eyes as the difference in height between us was tremendous up this close. I was looking at him through my slowly descending glasses that refused to stay in their proper place, and I couldn’t move my hand to adjust them as I was rooted in my place in gripping fear.

He spoke in a deadly voice “There are a few important things you need to be aware of before stepping foot into this house”

Here it comes. Lay it all out on me Snow, don’t you hold back.

I don’t say anything and keep staring at him.

He carries on in the same tone “As you may probably know, my family lives in this house, that’s my mother, brothers, and sister in addition to Mathew and Sara who live in the small house next to ours and help with the house work. We wake up together, eat together, sit together, and do everything together as a family. A family that you are now a part of. A family that has been struck with deep grief over the loss of the great man of this house. A family that is willing to put that grief aside and welcome you between them with arms open wide. All I ask from you in return is this, keep your head down, and your mouth shut. Don’t speak unless you’re spoken to, don’t go wandering around into places that are none of your concern or stick your nose where it doesn’t belong, don’t do or touch anything that doesn’t belong to you, and I mean anything or step foot outside this front yard without asking for permission from me or my mother only, and don’t mouth off or lash out at anyone. You will simply stay in my room and mind your own business and that’s it. These are your limits. Dare to cross them even once, dare to defy me even once, and you will be punished accordingly because I don’t give second chances or forgive even a simple little mistake or a slip up, do we have an understanding Jennifer?”

The way he said Jennifer almost made me shudder. It came out just like my father used to say it, with hidden contempt.

That’s why I prefer to be called Jenny by the people I love like my mother and Megan. I hated the name Jennifer so much because of the way my father always addressed me with it.

I keep staring at him, practically biting my tongue to keep my response from escaping because I was sure it will cross those limits he just mentioned and warned me about.

Just nod your head Jenny, don’t piss him off, do as your mother told you.

Don’t say it jenny, don’t say it, don’t…

Shit.

“So is that a special treatment just for me? the rules, the limits, the punishments, or were you going to say the same thing when you married that girl? What was her name? Melanie” I said in a condescending tone.

He narrowed his eyes at me, before grabbing me by the neck in a blinding speed, and crushing me with his body as he towered over me and backed me up against the side of the car.

The moment his hand landed heavily on my neck and shifted my skin upward, I felt a tiny rip in my stitches and a horrible blinding pain to course through me. It was too intense, a painful small gasp escaped my lips involuntarily before I could hide it. My face contorted in pain just for one second before I wiped it off quickly so he doesn’t notice it.

The gasp could be explained due to surprise, but the painful reaction on my face wouldn’t pass by without questions, so I tried to wipe it off as fast as I could. I didn’t want to show him that I was already broken and injured. I was afraid he might press harder on it to hurt me on purpose if he knew about it.

If he noticed my pain he totally ignored it as he stared at me with beast like eyes.

**

Alex’s POV

Just like I thought, this girl is going to be a hellish nightmare to live with.

She was the last thing I needed right now.

I was already under so much pressure, already on the verge of losing my mind, and she just had to bring up Melanie in front of me.

She made me snap and lose what little control I was trying so hard to hold on to in front of her.

I was trying, really trying hard not to hate her, and hurt her because of who her father was, but she had to bring up Melanie and piss me off, she had to make it harder for me to keep myself from hurting her even though I was not the violent type when it comes to a woman, but she was really testing my patience.

The moment I grabbed her neck roughly and trapped her against my car, I did not miss the soft sound of pain that came out from her mouth, I would have doubted my own ears if I didn’t catch the brief flash of agony that she wiped quickly from her face.

Something I did caused her pain. But I barely just touched her neck, I didn’t do anything yet.

Was she reacting to an existing injury that I accidentally pressed on?

I decided to let it go and focus on the task at hand, breaking her into obedience so she doesn’t cause me any problems or headaches later.

I tightened my hand on her neck a little bit more, not enough to restrict her air but enough to cause the fear; she tries so hard to conceal, in her eyes to appear.

Better scared than hurt little girl, I thought to myself.

Speaking of little girl, the moment I laid eyes on her in the church I couldn’t help but see her as a little girl, a kid even. She was so tiny and short, totally the opposite of my Melanie who was tall and curvy. This girl was a freaking kid compared to my woman. She even looked younger than my sister April who was a year younger than her. April was so much taller too. This one just barely reached my lower chest.

Despite her tiny short form, her wild short red wavy hair and shiny green eyes screamed defiance and trouble. She had a smart mouth, I suspected it the moment she answered her vow at the church. She was challenging me with it. Promising me that she won’t go down easy.

Well, two can play at this game. Let’s see how much fear you can endure before I break you Jennifer Walker.

Let’s just hope, for your sake and mine, that you don’t force me to physically hurt you, because it was the last thing I wanted to do.

When I mentioned punishment earlier it was only meant to be a scaring tactic, but after she mouthed off at me, I wasn’t so sure if I will be able to hold myself all the time if she continues to speak to me this way.

I lean closer to her face and speak icily “What the hell did I just say about mouthing off? Do. Not. Test. Me. Again. Jennifer Walker, it’s your first and final warning. I will not be repeating myself or reminding you of the rules again, so you better god damn remember them, if you know what’s good for you”

She looks at me through her black framed glasses which were sliding down her nose slowly, she was shaking under me, quivering with fear, but the annoying thing was, despite the fear that gripped her entire body, and despite the fact that I felt a little bad for being so harsh and merciless towards her and causing her to feel so scared, she still had the nerve to retort.

Her eyes were shining with suppressed rage and hate as she countered “Has Melanie finally figured out what’s good for her? I bet she did, that’s why she broke up with you didn’t sh…”

I cut her off by banging my other hand very hard at the side of the car in one last warning, my hit came next to her ear. She flinched and thankfully kept her mouth shut.

Her lips were slightly quivering and her eyes were shining with tears.

Jesus, this girl must have a death wish or something.

I tried to be civilized for one last time, before turning into my last resort, punishment.

“Look, we both got forced into this marriage. I didn’t want to marry you and you obviously didn’t want to marry me. But we both sacrificed our own happiness to save this town. You have two options right now. You either walk out through those gates and go back to where you came from, or you walk through my front door house with your fucking mouth shut and your head down, those green eyes of yours will not glare at me but stay glued on the ground unless I instruct otherwise. You either go through those gates, making your whole clan get wiped off this town, or you go inside this house without daring to defy me again or breaking any of my rules. Pick a fucking option and stick to it Jennifer, right now!“

I glare at her and silently pray in my head. Please don’t make me hurt you, please don’t make me hurt you. Do not turn me into a monster… please. Just obey and save both of us some great deal of pain, please.

Abruptly, a loud alarm blared from her watch. I had no idea what it was but I assumed it was probably just an alarm for increasing heartbeat, as I was certain that I just scared the shit out of her.

She looks at me for a few minutes, her eyes screaming with loath and despair.

Then, she slowly lowers her gaze downward, as a sign of submission.

Thank god, I heave a sigh inwardly.

I let go of her neck and back off a little.

I saw her tears falling down but her face remained unaffected.

I order her curtly “You have one minute to adjust yourself. We will go inside, greet my family, then you can go rest in my room”

I turn my back on her; busying myself with getting her suitcases out of my trunk, to let her wipe her tears and let go of her bottled up emotions that she was struggling to keep from me. Not that she was very successful about hiding them as I knew every single one just from looking into her eyes. She was scared, hateful, bitter, but most of all angry.

I hope she can keep that anger contained and doesn’t force me into something I can’t back away from. Something that neither of us will enjoy.